BOPE 72

Chapter 72 …

The status window that had always stayed a constant blue turned red for the first time. Seeing the crimson, flashing screen—as though signaling an emergency—Dong-hee lost his composure.

“Wh-what is this?”

It felt like an omen of something ominous about to happen, and unease spread through him.

“Pardon?”

Anna, who had been tidying away combs and accessories, snapped her head up at the lord’s unusual tone. Though such episodes had decreased a lot lately, she worried whether her lord’s temper might be flaring up again.

But the lord wasn’t even looking at her. He was frowning at something else, staring at the air as if lost in thought. His voice, heavy and subdued, rang out without glancing her way.

“Stop what you’re doing. Call the butler and the treasurer to the office.”

A moment ago, he had been smiling contentedly. Now, his face was clouded as if something grave had happened. Anna, who had been with him the whole time, had no idea why her lord’s mood had shifted so suddenly. Still, at least she hadn’t been the cause of it—thankfully.

Flustered, Anna quickly set the box she was holding down on the vanity and answered,

“Yes, my lord!”

After bowing, she left the room in haste.

At that moment, new words appeared on the glowing red status window:

—Protect Morta Village in crisis. Safeguard the lives of its people and prove yourself a dignified lord. Success will bring rewards. Failure will result in decreased affection levels, along with the deaths of 000 villagers.

Dong-hee’s heart plummeted. He saw the faces of the people of Morta in his mind—

The villagers who ran up to greet him, beaming. The children who received a single winter coat and grinned as if they had been given the world. Those who had rushed into flames, heedless of the smoke.

“…No.”

He didn’t care about rewards. He couldn’t allow anyone to die. It didn’t matter whether these people were real, illusions, or characters in a game.

Only yesterday he had extinguished the fire that spread to the defensive outpost. And now another calamity?

“It can’t be a coincidence.”

Fear gripped Dong-hee. He chewed his fingernails, pacing the room.

“That bastard Ray? Or that dog Patrasche?”

Both were possible suspects, but Ray’s schemes didn’t feel threatening enough. Which left Patrasche…

He wanted to order Red Bear to seize him immediately, but first he had to understand what exactly the threat to Morta Village was.

Heart racing, Dong-hee stopped pacing and dashed to the office. The maids cleaning in the corridor bowed politely, but he had no time to respond.

Though Patrasche was of much lower rank, the wealth he wielded and the powerful support behind him were formidable.

“Where’s Red Bear?”

Dong-hee burst into the office, already speaking. Inside, the butler and the treasurer had already arrived.

“He remains in Morta with the knights, my lord. Has something happened?”

The knight-commander’s absence and the lord’s tense expression clearly worried them. He looked anxious—almost frightened.

“We’re heading to Morta immediately. Make preparations. And send every mercenary left in the castle to Morta at once.”

“All of them? But today is the day for logging—”

“Cancel the logging. Arm them and send them straight to Morta.”

“Yes, my lord!”

The lord looked as uneasy as he had when he had rushed to Morta to put out the fire.

“Commander, you’d better come with me.”

Red Bear, who had risen early to inspect the palisade, felt dread at his subordinate’s hushed, urgent tone. The fact that he lowered his voice so villagers wouldn’t overhear meant this was serious.

From the opposite direction came Builder, who bowed deeply. Builder went to bed later than anyone, woke earlier, and tirelessly checked on the surroundings. Despite his lack of rest, his face was bright.

His sense of responsibility made him all the more trustworthy.

Exchanging a brief nod with Builder, Red Bear followed his man. His chest grew heavy with unease. The Black Forest seemed even quieter today.

After setting other knights to watch the gates, the subordinate led him beyond the palisade. Red Bear followed, careful not to alarm the villagers unnecessarily.

But moments later, the sight that met him left his mind reeling.

The ground around the newly built palisade was drenched in blood. At regular intervals, mutilated black animal corpses were strewn about. None were intact.

As Red Bear stared grimly at the remains, his subordinate said gravely,

“They’re carcasses of baby Qulens. Someone chopped them up and scattered the pieces with blood around the village. Most likely—”

“The same ones who set the fire yesterday,” Red Bear finished.

His man nodded grimly. Red Bear’s eyes narrowed as he scanned the palisade. At least the structure itself seemed unharmed.

“When did this happen?”

“They must’ve done it right after construction ended. We were watching all night.”

Red Bear clenched his teeth. This was clearly the work of someone wishing Morta Village’s destruction. And who else would harbor such malice but Baron Patrasche?

He had failed to purchase Morta when he last visited Grace Castle. Now he was resorting to sabotage. To him, Morta was nothing more than a tool to expand his domain. The lives of its people meant nothing.

Red Bear steeled his resolve. This village must never fall into that man’s hands.

“Bury the blood-soaked earth and carcasses deep near the defensive outpost,” he ordered coldly.

The mothers would track the scent of their dead young without fail. Burning would be best, but time was short. Normally, monsters didn’t leave the forest during daylight. But Qulens that had lost their offspring were different.

Of all monsters, Qulens were known for their powerful maternal instincts—feeding their young even from their own flesh. And now, with their offspring butchered and scattered at the village entrance, the mothers would surely believe the villagers responsible. They would attack without end.

Red Bear’s men quickly gathered knights to carry out the orders. The commander himself strode to the chief’s house.

The chief, who owed much to the lord’s generosity, welcomed him warmly.

“Commander, what brings you to my humble—no, I mean, to my home?”

He nearly called it humble out of habit, then caught himself. After all, his house had been repaired by the lord and was now the largest and finest in the village.

“There’s no time. From now on, no one must step outside.”

“Has something happened?”

The chief’s smile vanished.

“There may be a Qulen attack. Send the swiftest youths to every household. Tell them no one leaves until I say it is safe.”

“What? Why would Qulens attack us? In broad daylight?”

Everyone knew monsters never moved about under the sun. Even a child of three knew that. Yet Red Bear wasn’t one to speak nonsense. The chief’s voice trembled with unease.

“Explanations later. Go now!”

Red Bear’s sudden roar made the bewildered chief startle, then dash outside to gather messengers.

In the depths of their cave, the Qulens—drugged into slumber by sleeping powder—suddenly awoke to find their young gone.

Piercing shrieks ripped the air.

“SCREEEEEEEE!”

“KIEEEEEK! KIEEEEEE!”

It wasn’t just one mother. Many had lost their young. Sniffing frantically through the cave, one Qulen suddenly shot into the sky.

Flap-flap-flap!

Soon, countless others poured out.

The midday sun burned on their black wings, dulling the sheen—but they didn’t care.

Circling in a great, dark swarm, the Qulens scoured the skies. Then one, catching a trace, darted off—straight toward Morta Village.